Microsoft Officially Starts the Xbox Summer Update Rollout

[Exterminator]

Microsoft has recently started the official rollout of the Xbox summer update, which brings a long list of improvements and new features to the company’s gaming console.

The summer update includes goodies that were tested with help from insiders as part of preview updates, so if you were an insider who tried all these releases, there’s nothing new here. For retail users, on the other hand, there’s so much to discover.

First and foremost, starting with this update, the Xbox One finally supports Background Music, so you can listen to your favorite music in the background while playing games. Background Music is limited to some apps, though, with Pandora to be the first to support this feature when it launches very soon, followed by Groove Music, iHeartRadio, and others.

This update also brings Cortana on Xbox One in the United States and the United Kingdom. Cortana has the same role as on PC and smartphones and will help you find games, get in touch with friends, start a party, turn on the Xbox One if you’re using Kinect, and other similar things.

The Game Collection has been improved as well with options to let you sort, manage, and see more tiles, but also to quickly access the Ready to Install tab and update games from a new dedicated section.

One store for everything
The Xbox and Windows Stores are unified with this update, and Microsoft says that it wants to give users “a single cohesive experience across their devices.” This is part of Microsoft’s “One Windows” strategy and brings together the company’s platforms for better convergence.

There’s also a new feature called Facebook Friend Finder that does exactly what its name says, as well as improved sharing options on the Xbox One. At the same time, Windows 10 PC gamers get an updated Xbox app with tons of new features, as well as an improved Game Hub on Xbox Live that will show top Windows 10 PC games.

The Game Bar will also support 60 FPS game clip recording, and it has been improved with full-screen support for six games, including CSGO and World of Warcraft.

Keep in mind that the rollout of the new summer update on the Xbox is taking place in stages, and all players should get it during the weekend on in the next few days.